An unforseen love
by writerchick4life
Summary: Marren. Darren has feelings for Maxine and would do anything for her. But given this is Hollyoaks, love won't come easy. But the love struck cab driver is determined to get the girl no matter what stands in their way. Drama, manipulation, jealousy, angst, a shock return from a person in Maxine's past and of course romance and fluff.
1. Chapter 1

An unforeseen love

Chapter One

Maxine Minniver, a beautiful young woman in her twenties paced the room where her baby daughter Minnie slept, hoping for some peaceful mummy/daughter time. Minnie was her world and she would do anything to protect her from her violent, controlling father Patrick. It seems that his unscrupulous behavior had only increased after she left him. Now she was free and housemates with her good friend Darren Osborne, Maxine felt as if things were finally going to be all right. They just had to be considering all that she had been through with Patrick and of course his son Dodger Savage, the one man who loved her for who she was and never hurt her the way the older man did. But…now Dodger was gone for parts unknown from the police. She still loved him but she also knew waiting the rest of her life for him, if he was ever going to return to Chester would be unreasonable. Minnie was special, not just because she was her only child but because of her condition-the little one had Down syndrome but Maxine promised to love her no matter what.

"That's my good little girl" Maxine said in a motherly voice as she held the infant in her arms rubbing her back gently.

Just then Darren, a handsome man in his thirties with light hair stopped by the bedroom and softly smiled at the sight before him. Maxine was a good mum, he could tell and he was going to be there for both of them. But as of late, he began to see his friend in a totally different way-more as just a mate. He found himself captivated by her beauty and her sweet personality. Darren could remember each instance he would get lost in her blue eyes and how cuddly she felt when they would hug. But he wanted more, yet the timing was never right.

"She looks happier than ever" Darren said, finally deciding to break the awkward silence and to hopefully get his mind off how good that tight black skirt made Maxine's legs look.

"Yeah she does" Maxine said with a warm smile. "I'll be ready to go in a second" She said. Maxine was now working at Daz Cabs, the taxi business Darren himself started. After Dodger left, Maxine needed a job and a place to stay since the Savage Boat where they used to leave was now unrecognizable due to the fire Dodger's insane brother Will caused. And of course Darren being a good friend offered her the job and let her stay at the boarding house with him and Tony Hutchinson.

"Take your time Maxine, I'll get her pram and your coat for you" Darren offered before leaving the room to get what he intended. He sighed as he made his way downstairs- the continuing thoughts of Maxine Minniver in his mind yet again. Of course he was aware his best mate and Maxine used to be blissfully in love but now that he was gone, Darren felt like he had to keep an eye on both Max and the little one. Not that he minded, being in the woman's presence was the highlight of his day. Was it love or perhaps just a silly crush that would fade with time? He definitely wasn't going to leave Maxine high and dry that was for sure. _Oh right, Minnie's pram and Maxine's coat. _Darren reminded himself as yet again the persistent thoughts of his female friend occupied his conscience yet again like they always did. He found Minnie's pram which had wheels on it and as for Maxine's coat-he didn't know if she wanted the black bomber jacket or the big fur one but he would be sure to ask.

Just then Maxine came downstairs with Minnie still in her arms. "There you are Dazzle, I thought you did a runner on us" She teased with a smile as she placed the baby in her buggy.

Darren smiled. "Actually, I was trying to think what coat you'd prefer today" He said. The nickname of Dazzle always seemed to make him smile. It was quirky but hey he didn't mind at all. "I didn't know if you wanted the black one or…uh, this one" Darren said, holding up each article of clothing.

Maxine took the black bomber and put it on before fixing the collar and her long, wavy dark hair. "All right, looks like we're all ready for another day at Daz Cabs aren't we sweetheart?" She asked her daughter.

Minnie simply smiled her toothless baby grin at her mummy and Darren from her pram.

Darren smiled before lightly pinching the infant's cheeks before the three headed out for the morning. It was a cloudy and chilly day in Chester at the moment-very usual for winter. They passed by Ziggy Roscoe's dog food ad, Ste Hay sweeping outside The Hutch and…Patrick heading toward them in his typical suit and briefcase.

Maxine sighed at the sight of her estranged husband. "Great, Patrick" She said softly.

The Hollyoaks High head teacher always seemed to have a permanent scowl on his face and Darren wondered if it would forever stay. "How's my beautiful daughter today?" He said, bending over to Minnie's level. Once he was done giving Minnie some attention, there stood his estranged wife and Darren. "Heading out today?" He asked.

"Work, as always" Maxine said flatly, wanting to get away from this man as soon as possible. Just the sight of him made her skin crawl.

"You're taking our daughter to a filthy taxi cab shop Maxine. How unsafe" Patrick said in his usual patronizing voice.

Maxine frowned. "Can you save the lecture for another time Patrick? Me and Darren have to get to work" She said, getting more upset.

There was a pause between the three adults. "You heard Maxine, scram along now" Darren said, coldly to the man that had hurt Maxine beyond comprehension for a long time.

Patrick's jaw clenched. "Right, I'll pick Minnie tomorrow as it is my day with her in case you've forgotten" He said before walking away.

On instinct, Darren reached for Maxine's hand. It felt soft and silky smooth, so much so it sent sparks all through him. "Are you ok?" He asked softly.

"I'm fine Daz, really" Maxine said with a small smile. "Let's just go" She said.

Darren nodded, noticing how the hot pink color of her lipstick went well with her tan skin before he continued to walk with Max and Minnie. He wanted so badly to teach that uptight head teacher a lesson well deserved and long overdue. His new found attraction to Maxine was slowly eating him up and he knew he had to tell her eventually but when the right time came along. Maxine meant too much to him to suddenly spring it upon her.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 

Later that day after their run in with Patrick that morning, Darren and Maxine were at Daz Cabs doing some work like always. Maxine was distracted by a fussy Minnie so she stopped her task for a while and began to look for the tot's pacifier…of course it was nowhere to be found.

"Daz, have you seen Minnie's pacifier?" Max asked as she tried to soothe the noisy baby.

Darren suddenly stopped what he was doing as well and went over to help his crush. "What color is it?" He asked, looking everywhere including on the hard floor of the establishment.

"Pink" Maxine said as she continued to keep Minnie from having a full on crying fit. She hated seeing her daughter upset so she did her best to make sure she was always happy, or almost always.

"Found it" Darren said after a few more seconds of looking for the essential infant accessory. He went over to hand it to Maxine. At that same time, Max reached for it-in turn causing their hands to touch.

There went the sparks again. No matter how hard he tried to make them disappear, they always seem to come back at the slightest touch from Maxine. He laughed bashfully. "Sorry"

Maxine smiled. "It's okay, thank goodness we found it" She said as she adjusted Minnie in her arms and gently placed the missing pacifier in the baby's mouth.

Darren blushed. "Yeah" He said, getting lost in the woman's presence. _Blimey Darren, get a grip. _His conscience was telling him. He was never that shy around the ladies and he'd been around the block lots of times but Maxine…she was different, in a good way. Given his past, Darren wanted to do things right this time.

"Are you ok Daz?" Maxine asked, her voice interrupting him.

"Oh yeah I'm fine" Darren said, trying to hide his embarrassment.

Maxine raised an eyebrow. "You sure, seem out of it" She insisted as she placed Minnie back in her pram.

"I'm just a little tired is all, think I'm going to go get some coffee want any?" He asked Maxine.

"Sounds good" Maxine said with a smile. "Why don't I come with you? Minnie here's getting a little restless" She suggested.

Darren felt his heart pound in his chest at the thought of being around Maxine just a bit longer. Lately the eagerness to be near her was getting stronger every day and who was he to fight it? "Right, then let's go" He said as he handed Maxine her jacket and once his own was on, the three headed off to the college coffee shop not far from the village.

"You know Maxine…" Darren began to say as they waited in line to get their coffee.

"Yeah?" Maxine asked with a smile as she tended to Minnie for a bit.

Darren decided to man up and go ahead and ask. "If you're not too busy tonight, why don't we get pizza takeaway and watch a movie or two?"

Maxine laughed softly. "I rarely have anything else to do, so sure why not" She agreed.

Darren smiled. He loved spending time with Maxine, just talking and hanging out with her. But in the back of his mind, he asked himself how long could he keep up this charade until he blurts out he wants to be with her? Suddenly it was their turn in line.

"I'll have a plain black coffee and…what do you want Maxine?" He asked.

"A cappuccino with sugar and creamer" Maxine said.

"And a cappuccino" Darren added, remembering the foamy beverage Maxine asked for. He turned to smile innocently at the beautiful woman beside him.

Maxine smiled back, so lucky to have such a wonderful mate like Darren. After everything, she deserved to have someone to talk to and be there for her when times got rough.

Darren felt butterflies in his stomach at Maxine's smile. He wondered what it would be like if he kissed her. Would she let him or be completely disgusted with him?

Once the coffees were paid for, Darren, Max and Minnie got comfortable on a sofa near the shop entrance. "Here you go" Darren said handing Maxine the hot Styrofoam cup.

"Thanks" Maxine said before adding some sugar to her drink and taking a small sip.

Darren then noticed the usual foam on top of Maxine's upper lip and he couldn't help but laugh softly.

"What?" Maxine asked with a smile.

"You have a foam 'stache" Darren said, trying to keep a straight face.

"Where? Here?" Maxine asked touching the same spot on her face where the foam actually was.

Darren didn't say anything but he leaned in and wiped it off, the skin of her face feeling as soft as a rose petal. He looked into her eyes, feeling the tension between them. Darren wondered if she somehow felt it too. "I think I…got it all"

Maxine looked back at him. "Yeah" She said, not breaking eye contact.

Meanwhile across the coffee shop sat Patrick, seething with anger. He wanted Maxine back and he would stop at nothing until he got what he wanted. Patrick Blake always got what he wanted.

Darren gently pulled away from Maxine and went to go check on Minnie who was lying there happily in her buggy like any ordinary baby. "Your mummy has a very interesting sense of humor"

Maxine laughed. "And don't you forget Daz" She teased, placing a hand on his arm.

_Okay she is slowly but surely sending me to my grave with all this teasing. _Darren thought as he smiled at Minnie.

Later that night after work and putting Minnie down for the night, Maxine and Darren sat on the couch at the boarding house stuffing themselves with pizza and beer. Currently _Liar Liar _was on and the two were having a blast laughing at the movie and just being together as friends. 

"Oh I love this part" Darren said as the scene in which Jim Carey's character was making a scene over the color of a certain pen, a consequence of not being able to lie.

Maxine laughed as the scene unfolded. "This movie is hilarious" She said through her laughter.

"Oh I know" Darren agreed before taking another sip of his beer.

Awhile later during _Austin Powers, _Maxine was asleep with her head on Darren's shoulder not that he minded. He could feel the warmth of her skin and could make out the feminine notes of her perfume which was making his blood boil. Those feelings he had for her, he didn't want to let them fade so he let her stay where she was but placing a blanket across both of them. When the movie ended, Darren left the TV on the news and brushed some chocolate brown waves off Maxine's face.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The next morning, Maxine woke up with a sore back but other than that, she was fine-didn't feel intoxicated in the slightest bit but she was surprised at the warm figure next to her-Darren! Not that she minded their whole movie night plans…she just didn't expect to be so tired she passed out on the couch. So she carefully stood up as not to wake up her friend and went over to check on Minnie who was still sleeping peacefully. Maxine smiled at her little girl before heading over to the kitchen to start a fresh pot of coffee.

A few minutes later Darren woke up and took note that Maxine wasn't next to him like she was before last night. He looked behind him and saw that she was making coffee for both of them, so he smiled and went to join her.

"Morning sleepyhead" Maxine teased with a smile as she heard Darren walk into the quiet kitchen.

"Hey" Darren said as he rubbed the back of his neck which was sore from sitting up for hours all night. "Did you have fun last night/" He asked.

"I always enjoy our movie nights Daz" Maxine pointed out as she got out some stuff she needed for waffles.

_I'm glad you do. _Darren thought as he looked down at the floor, trying to hide the obvious fact that he was blushing. "So…is you know who going to have Minnie today?" He asked.

"Yes" Maxine said after a moment's pause before continuing with the notions of making waffles. To be honest, it still wound her up that she had to share custody of Minnie with Patrick-the man who had caused her nothing but pain.

Darren noticed she was upset about the whole arrangement so he went up to her and placed a comforting hand on her slender shoulder. "Hey"

Maxine turned to face Darren with a disappointed look on her face. "It's just not fair, I mean what if he…" She began to say before Darren touched her face.

"No he won't Maxine. I know, because we won't let him" He said softly but firmly. "Everything will work out"

"You sure?" Maxine asked softly.

Darren nodded before bringing Maxine into a hug, trying to comfort her and help her to forget everything Patrick has done. He didn't want to admit it out loud but Maxine felt very nice in his embrace.

Meanwhile Patrick sat at his organized desk at his office at Hollyoaks High thinking of some way to get Darren out of Maxine's life for good. She was technically still his wife even though she no longer lived with him and there was still Minnie to consider. He suddenly had an idea.

At that same instance, Theresa McQueen, a stunning and leggy blonde sauntered in with her usual high heels.

"Here's your coffee Mr. Blake" Theresa said in her usual whispery voice. The young woman had recently been hired as Patrick's secretary at the school and so far she hasn't been sacked yet which was a big relief.

"Theresa just the person I wanted to see" Patrick said with a cryptic smirk.

"Oh" Theresa said with a smile before taking her usual seat in front of her boss's desk. "I arranged your bookcase yesterday a to z" She said confidently.

Patrick smirked. 'I noticed that and thank you. I wanted to speak to you about something else" He continued in a calm and collected manner.

"Okay" Theresa said as she crossed her legs, wondering what her boss wanted to speak to her about.

Patrick leaned forward, resting his hands on his desk. "A favor to ask"

"Anything you need me to do" Theresa agreed, eager to make her boss proud of her.

"I want you and Darren Osborne, I'm sure you know him, to go on a date tonight" Patrick stated.

Theresa furrowed her brows. "I really don't know him all that well"

"Oh it's simple Theresa, look for him at Daz cabs, smile and go for it" Patrick insisted. Before the blonde could say anything else, he abruptly continued. "Do not let me down"

Theresa nodded. "I won't" She said softly, wondering what the hell she was getting herself into with her boss. Once she was sure, the conversation was over, she stood up and left the office.

That afternoon after classes were dismissed for the day, Theresa was walking down the street, the heels of her stilettos clicking against the cement. This was it-the moment when she was going to ask out Darren by Patrick's insistence. As she walked up to the front door, she saw him and Maxine laughing together…and their hands were touching. Theresa barely knew the guy so she had no right to be jealous but she knew she had to do this. Theresa fixed her hair and walked inside.

Maxine saw the blonde vixen walk in and greeted her. "Theresa, what brings you here?" She asked curiously.

"I need to steal Darren for a minute" Theresa said.

"Oh, well go ahead. I'm just going to take Minnie for a little walk" Maxine said as she put on her coat and got her daughter's pram ready. "Later Daz" She said with a smile as she placed a hand on his shoulder before walking out.

"So…what gives?" Darren asked as he sat on the desk, curious of why Theresa wanted to speak to him in private.

"This is going to sound out of the blue but…how about we get drinks at The Loft tonight? Just you and me" Theresa said, going in for the kill.

Darren had a surprised look on his face. Theresa wanted to go on a date with him? He wanted to politely decline since he didn't want to give up hope on Maxine. "Tonight?" He asked.

"Yeah…I mean if you can't that's all right I suppose" Theresa said as she went over to sit next to the cab driver, adjusting her skirt to show a bit more leg.

Maxine who had just came back from her walk overheard Theresa's question so she decided to be a good friend and help Darren out. "I think that would be a great idea Daz" She chimed in.

Darren didn't want to go out for drinks with a girl he barely knew, he wanted to have another night in with Maxine but since he was single there was no getting around it. "Sure, what time?" He asked.

"Eight?" Theresa suggested with a raised eyebrow.

"Sounds good, see you at eight" Darren said with a smile before Theresa left the establishment. He sighed, thinking to himself how could he be so silly? He didn't see the young woman.

"Well…sounds like you have a hot date tonight" Maxine teased from her desk as she looked over some paper work.

Darren half-smiled. "Are you going to be all right by yourself?" He asked.

"Oh don't worry about me Daz, I can take care of myself" Maxine teased.

"Just making sure" Darren said as he went back to work, all the way thinking it should be him and Maxine on a date. He wanted it to be her.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

That night at The Loft nightclub, Darren sat at the bar with a drink in front of him waiting for his faux date Theresa to arrive since she was thirty minutes late. _This is such a waste of time. _Darren thought as people drank and mingled all around him. If he knew the blonde McQueen was going to stand him up, he would have declined and spent another evening with Maxine.

"Hey there" Theresa's whispery voice interrupted the cab driver out of his reverie. When Darren turned toward her, the girl was in a short and tight party dress and heels. For a second there, he couldn't help but picture Maxine there in that dress. "What took you so long ay?"

"I spent hours looking for a good outfit since first impressions are everything on a first date" Theresa said with a smirk on her hot pink lipstick stained lips.

Darren half smiled at Theresa's effort at looking pretty. The young blonde was cute of course but Maxine always had an effortless beauty about her-her hair could be up in a ponytail, no makeup and in sweats and Darren still wouldn't be able to take his eyes off her. "What can I get you to drink?" He asked.

"How about a sex on the beach?" Theresa suggested as she crossed her legs and leaned forward so that Darren could get a look at her "assets".

Darren had no choice but to be a good date and ordered Theresa her suggestive sounding cocktail once he got a bartender's attention.

"So…what's single life like for a bloke like you?" Theresa asked with a raised eyebrow once she was all set with her drink.

Darren did not know why Theresa was asking such a personal question given the two barely knew each other-sure she dated Dodger but they didn't go out of their way to have daily conversation. There just had to be something else to this whole evening…he could feel it. "Same old, same old really"

"Oh well maybe I can change that" Theresa said as she moved closer to the older man. Darren could smell Theresa's perfume from his bar seat. Why he agreed to go on this fake date was beyond him. His thoughts kept running back to his female mate sitting at the boarding house alone.

Suddenly a techno song came on and Theresa took him by the hand and dragged him to the dance floor.

"What are you doing Theresa?" Darren asked as he stood there among crowds of partying patrons.

"I love this song, come on Darren dance with me" Theresa insisted as she began to move to the music.

Darren sighed as he bobbed to the happy beat of the song but his mind was elsewhere. He was again thinking of Maxine. He wasn't obsessed or maybe technically he was border lining on it but he wanted to be with her so bad and be close to her. He knew he had to tell her soon or else he was going to lose his marbles. His daydream of the leggy brunette was again interrupted by the feeling of Theresa's breath on his neck.

"You don't seem to be having a good time" She whispered against his skin.

_Yes, I'm thinking of another woman while you're pressed against me. _Darren thought. "Oh I'm just a little tired from work is all" He said instead.

"Oh" Theresa said with a neutral look in her big blue eyes. "I know how that feels"

"So how's it working for headmaster Blake at the school?" Darren asked as they headed back to the bar.

"It's going good so far" Theresa said as she sat back down next to Darren. "Now I'm really on my way to making a better future for my kids"

Darren nodded. "That's good, we always want what's best for them"

For the rest of the night, Theresa talked about herself while Darren pretended to listen but he was off in his own world and he couldn't help but be relieved when the date was finally over. He had been on a lot of bad dates before but this one took the cake. When he got back to the boarding house, he walked in and found Maxine on the couch.

"Hey" Darren said with a smile as he went over to sit next to her.

"Oh hi Daz, how was your date with Theresa?" Maxine asked as she looked up from what she was doing.

"It was okay I suppose" Darren said. "So what are you doing?"

"Looking at old pictures of me and Dodger" Maxine said softly. "It feels like he left just yesterday"

"Yeah, I know how close you two were" Darren said softly, feeling bad for Maxine.

"I loved him so much…part of me thinks he'll come home any day soon and things will back to how they were" Maxine said sadly, on the verge of tears.

Darren didn't want to see Maxine sad so on instinct he took her in his arms and held her. _I live for moments like this. _Darren thought as the warmth of Maxine's body and her sweet scent came back to him. "It's okay Maxine. You'll always have me, Tony and Nancy" He said softly while looking into her eyes.

Maxine smiled softly at her best friend. "Thanks Darren…what would I do without you?" She asked.

"You'll never be without me Maxine" Darren promised as he touched her shoulders gently.

"You promise?" Maxine asked.

"I promise" Darren said softly, not even wanting to think about a life without Maxine.

Maxine chuckled nervously. "Sorry I didn't mean to bring my drama into your night" She said as she placed the bunch of pictures on the coffee table.

"Oh don't be silly Maxine, you can talk to me about anything" Darren reassured the brunette.

Maxine smiled. "What are friends for?" She asked.

Darren nodded. "Yeah" He said softly, feeling the slow simmering chemistry between them. He could feel it for sure, all the time.

"I'm gonna go to bed" Maxine said as she stood up, preparing to head upstairs.

"Night" Darren said with a small smile, wishing they could talk all night but if Maxine wanted to get some sleep then he wouldn't protest.

"See you in the morning" Maxine said before going over to peck Darren on the cheek before heading upstairs.

At that moment, Darren felt tingles all through his body at Maxine's kiss. It was chaste but feeling her lips on his right cheek was worth it. As she went upstairs, his eyes were glued to her body. He sighed as he leaned back on the sofa, his feelings for her rushing through him. Soon, he was going to tell Maxine how much he loved and wanted her.

The next day in the village, a black taxi cab pulled up and a pair of feet and legs emerged from the opened door. On the mysterious arrivals feet were sneakers and was wearing skinny jeans. "Thanks mate" A think Cockney accent drawled before the cab drove away. The mystery man then began walking. Once he arrived at the boarding house, he knocked twice on the door, hoping someone would answer.

**(A cliffhanger for you guys LOL. Don't forget to read and review if you enjoyed)**


	5. Chapter 5

e

Chapter 5

Maxine opened the door and she could not believe who was standing right in front of her-it was him. Dodger-the man she fell in love with and left her months ago. It felt as if her heart was going to fall out of her chest.

"Hey" Dodger said softly as he stood there on the doorstep of the boarding house. He missed her so very much and now that he was back, the feeling was very bittersweet.

Maxine hurried into his arms and wrapped her slender arms around his neck, never wanting to let him go ever again. All the memories of him came flooding back into her mind. Just as she thought she was never going to see Dodger again, there he was.

Dodger smiled as he held Maxine in his arms. He picked her up and gently swung her around, missing the feeling of her embrace. Her scent, the warmth and curves and peaks of her body felt familiar to him which was something he always thought of while he was away.

Maxine gently pulled away from Dodger and looked at him. The same green eyes, the same prominent nose, the same facial features and the same pouty lips she had loved kissing…Dodger was back for sure but Maxine wanted to make sure this wasn't some daft dream.

"You're back" Maxine said softly as she looked into his eyes.

"Yes I am" Dodger said before placing his forehead and nose against Maxine's-one of his favorite romantic gestures. "I missed you Maxine" He whispered.

Maxine smiled softly as she felt his breath on her face. "I missed you too Dodge" She said.  
"I thought I was never going to see you again"

"Hey" Dodger said as he touched her face. "Don't think like that, I'm here now" He continued soothingly. "And I thought of you every day I was gone"

"I did too" Maxine said as she tried not to cry but she let one tear of joy and relief fall down her cheek.

On instinct, Dodger wiped her lone tear. "How are you and Minnie?" He asked.

"Minnie's good, do you want to come in and see her?" Maxine asked.

"Sure" Dodger said as he followed Maxine inside the boarding house, bringing in his luggage as well. He looked around the house as Maxine got Minnie out of her cot.

"Here she is" Maxine said in a motherly voice as she carefully placed the baby in Dodger's arms.

Dodger smiled as Minnie was once in his arms. "Hey Minnie, I missed you" He said as he looked down at the baby.

Minnie just smiled up at the man who was holding her. She remembered him of course, he was around her mummy a lot.

Darren came into the room and was met with the sight of Maxine…and Dodger bonding over Minnie. He was happy to see his best friend again but…this was a bit of a surprise. "Welcome back Dodger" The blonde said with a smile.

"Hey mate" Dodger greeted his friend of a few years as he handed Minnie back over to her mum and went over to hug the other man. Darren was like a brother to Dodger and have had many good times together over the years. "Have you been looking after Max while I was gone ay?" He teased.

Darren laughed. "Yes, I've been keeping a close eye on her" He teased as the two men went to sit on the couch.

Dodger smiled. "So how your cab company going?" He asked.

"It's going great actually Dodge, he even got me a job" Maxine chimed in as she sat on the couch beside Dodger with her daughter in her arms.

"Oh, well that's nice of you mate" Dodger said. He knew then Maxine was in good hands with Darren and later he would thank his best mate for making sure she was okay.

"Yeah" Darren said as he watched Dodger and Maxine play with Minnie. He was glad to have his mate back but that didn't change the way he felt about Maxine but he had to admit-his friend returning had also made Darren come to a realization that he didn't want to hurt Dodger but he couldn't help how he felt around Max. He decided to keep everything bottled up until the time was right…if it ever was.

"Now that you're back mate, how about a round of Clue?" Darren suggested.

"Okay as long as I can be Miss Scarlett" Maxine teased as she went to find the board game.

"I'll be Professor Plum" Dodger chimed in as he went to get beers for the three of them. "And you mate can be the reverend"

"You mean the fat bloke thanks a lot Dodger" Darren teased as he joined his mate in the kitchen.

"Disinterested ay?" Patrick asked from his desk meanwhile that day at Hollyoaks High.

"He did say it was because of work though" Theresa said softly as she sat in front of her boss's desk.

"Well I suppose running a lowly cab service can be quite exhausting" Patrick said. "But your job isn't over yet Theresa. I need you to keep at it until he gives in" He continued calmly.

"Okay" Theresa nodded.

"I need Darren Osborne out of Maxine's life for good if it's the last thing I do" Patrick said determined. "You're free to go now Theresa" He said.

Theresa nodded before standing up from her chair and leaving her boss's office.

Later that night after a few fun games of Clue, it was finally over. And all three adults were laughing as it turned out Darren's character was the main suspect in the murder mystery game.

"Are you sure it's me?" Darren asked before taking a drink of his beer.

"Yes I'm very sure mate-Reverend Green in the billiard room with the revolver" Dodger said with a laugh as he placed all three cards so everyone could see.

"Yup, you killed Mr. Boddy Daz" Maxine teased.

"Okay you win, I lose" Darren said as he gave in, throwing his hands up in defeat. "I'm gonna head up for the night" He said as he stood and began to put away the game.

"Okay we'll both see you in the morning then mate" Dodger said as he sat down on the sofa.

"Yeah night Daz" Maxine said with a smile.

Darren smiled before heading upstairs but not before looking at Maxine one more time for the night. He wished he could be with her but he couldn't. Not that he was blaming dodger, there was times that he wished things were different.

Maxine sat on the couch a few feet away from her former lover with a happy sigh. 'Today was fun" She said.

"Yeah" Dodger agreed. "You don't have to sit so far you know, it's not like we're strangers" He pointed out.

Maxine hesitated for a second before moving closer to Dodger. Once they were so close, their sides were touching, Maxine relaxed. Dodger was right-they weren't strangers.

Dodger wrapped an arm around his ex-girlfriend-today made him realize that those old feelings he had for her months ago were coming back. "I really missed you while I was gone, Max" He said softly.

"I missed you too" Maxine said as she looked into his beautiful green eyes. "And I'm not mad at you for leaving"

"Good" Dodger said with a head nod. Then their eyes met, just as they used to.

Maxine could feel the same feelings as well. She always loved him and now that he was back and hopefully for good, she didn't want to let him go. Their faces got closer and closer until finally…their lips touched.

Dodger pulled away slowly. "I really want for things to be back to how they were before I left" He said softly, hoping Maxine would feel the same.

"I do too, I love you Dodger and I always have" Maxine said, her heart racing with every passing second. Soon enough the lovers were kissing again but this time with more passion as they moved closer to each other as Dodger began to thrust his hips against Maxine's as his hands moved down her sides.

Maxine moaned softly as they kissed. Him being gone for months, she missed kissing him and being in his arms. "Bedroom" She said breathlessly as she pulled away gently.

Dodger then took her hand and led her upstairs to her new room before closing the door. Once that was done, they came together again with their hands, bodies and tongues becoming reacquainted after months apart.

Maxine once again felt alive in Dodger's embrace and that was something she missed while he was away but she vowed to put that out of her mind. She reached for the buttons on his shirt and tossed it to the floor, running her hands over his muscular and tan chest and abs.

Dodger took off Maxine's own top as well before discarding it and leading her to the bed and before long, the reunited lovers gave into fiery passion and clothes were winding up on the floor. Maxine felt as if she was on cloud nine-Dodger was an ace lover and she was suddenly reminded of how good.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Maxine could not describe exactly in actual words how incredible it was to have Dodger back in her arms again after so long away from him. It was so mind blowing she couldn't think of anything else but her man. Everything was just as she remembered-his kisses, the feel of his masculine hands on her skin and the way his body felt next to hers. It was everything she'd been looking forward to. Her thoughts were interrupted by the feeling of Dodger wrapping his arms around her.

Maxine sighed blissfully as she turned to face him. "Morning" She said softly.

"Hey beautiful" Dodger said with a soft smile as he played with her slightly messy from passionate lovemaking brown waves. "Sleep well?"

"Well with the sleep I did get, yeah" Maxine teased as she snuggled in his arms, not wanting to be away from him any more than she already had to.

"Last night was amazing" Dodger said as he continued to play with Maxine's hair.

"More than amazing, try incredible…mind blowing" Maxine said with a smile as she looked into Dodger's green eyes.

Dodger softly laughed. "Incredible ay?"

"And just as I remembered it" Maxine said wistfully as she began to trace the muscles of his abs. "You know Dodge, I missed this"

Dodger smiled at his girlfriend. "So have I" He said before leaning to kiss her.

Maxine placed her hands on both sides of his handsome face as they came closer together in the kiss. As the kiss intensified, she ran his hands down his bare back, wanting to keep him close to her for as long as possible.

At the same moment, Darren was on his way to ask Maxine what she would fancy for breakfast but he noticed the door was closed so he gently knocked on it as not to disturb her.

Maxine moaned in annoyance. "It's probably Darren" She said as she pulled away from Dodger.

"You should go see what he wants but don't take too long" Dodger teased.

Maxine smiled before kissing him one last time before getting out of bed and putting on Dodger's button down shirt before going to open the bedroom door.

"What do you want Daz?" Maxine asked as soon as she opened the door.

"Oh I uh-"Darren was about to say before he saw the sight of his mate. Even with bed hair and in one of his friend's button down shirts Maxine was still beautiful. "Was going to ask what you and Dodger would like for breakfast?"

"I'd like waffles" Maxine said with a smile. "And I'll help you after I change" She suggested.

Darren smiled. "Waffles it is" He said before turning to head downstairs.

"Morning to you too" Maxine called after him.

"Yeah" Darren said as he was halfway down the staircase. He headed into the kitchen and got out everything they would need to make ace waffles.

"So what did Darren want to talk about?" Dodger asked as he began to get dressed.

"Oh he wanted to know what we wanted to have for breakfast and I decided on waffles" Maxine said as she changed into a pink sweat suit and began to brush her hair before throwing into a loose ponytail.

"That sounds good" Dodger said as he joined her in the bathroom. "I'll be right down" He said before kissing Maxine quickly.

Maxine smiled. "Okay" She then headed downstairs to the kitchen where Darren was and decided to make herself useful by getting out the eggs.

"Thanks" Darren said with a grateful smile as he opened the egg carton and cracked one over the edge of the mixing bowl.

"Oh and here's the whisk" Maxine said with a laugh as she handed it to him. "Is there anything else you need?"

"Yes, the waffle mix is the pantry" Darren said as he continued to whisk the eggs in the mixing bowl. He decided to keep himself busy to prevent himself from thinking too much of Maxine. It seemed her and Dodger were back on again and since he and the other man have been friends for years it didn't seem like the right time.

Just as things were going to plan, he just had to look to his left in the direction of the pantry and there was Maxine standing on her tiptoes, trying to retrieve the box of waffle mix. And the bottom of her top had ridden up a bit, a teeny bit of her waist showing.

"Finally got it" Maxine said, interrupting Darren's thoughts as she placed the waffle mix on the kitchen counter so it could be mixed in with the other ingredients. She decided it was a bit too quiet so she went to turn on some music before landing on The Saturdays before getting back to helping Darren make breakfast.

Awhile had passed and Dodger, fresh from the shower came down to check on the food and then had to go change Minnie's nappy which left Maxine and Darren together alone in the kitchen again.

"And now time for the best part-the whip cream" Maxine said with a smile as she found a spray can of Reddi Whip from the fridge.

"You like whip cream on yours?" Darren asked.

"Yup and fruit on top as well" Maxine said as she shook the can and pressed the button on the nozzle but instead some sprayed on her face. She backed away in surprise.

Darren laughed softly at the mess Maxine made. "Oops" He teased as he wiped some off with his finger before eating it. "Mmmm tastes really good"

Maxine laughed nervously as she reached for a napkin. "Here" She said.

Darren then took the napkin and wiped the sweet topping off Maxine's lovely face. Once he was done, he put down the napkin and smiled at her. "Guess we need a new can"

"Yeah" Maxine said softly as he looked back at him.

Darren felt the same sparks that always came about. His mind was saying no but his body was betraying him and telling him to go for it so he moved closer to Maxine.

Maxine looked down and then back up at him through her lashes. She was brought back to reality as she heard Minnie's baby babbles and Dodger cooing. "Daz…I can't…" She whispered.

Darren nodded slowly. "You're right, I'm sorry Maxine" He said softly.

Maxine took both of his hands. "Don't feel bad" She said in the same tone before softly smiling and leaving the kitchen to check on her baby.

Darren looked into the living room to see Maxine, Dodger and Minnie looking like a happy family. He felt terrible for assuming she wanted this but…he couldn't help himself. _Way to go Darren. _


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

(A guest reviewer on the story suggested that Maxine should eventually be pregnant with Dodger's baby. That will happen in the next chapter or two ;)

_Darren moved closer to Maxine as he once again felt the same sparks that came about whenever he was in the same room with her. _

_Maxine smiled. "Thanks"_

"_You're welcome" Darren said softly as their faces got closer. He closed his eyes in anticipation of what was going to happen next. It just had to. He could feel it in his bones. _

_Maxine followed suit and then…it happened. They kissed. It was everything Darren had been waiting for-it was sweet and romantic. The feeling of her lips on his felt so good and addictive he didn't know how or if he was going to stop if ever. He placed both hands on the sides of her face as the kiss continued…_

"Darren…Daz…" A woman's voice interrupted the man from his bittersweet fantasy. He suddenly jolted and it didn't help matters that the woman he was just thinking about was standing next to him.

"What?" Darren asked as he rubbed his temples, still somewhat in a trance from the daydream he didn't notice of anything else going on.

Maxine smirked. "Tired?" She asked, concerned for her best friend.

"A little bit yeah" Darren said with a small smile as he stood to get his blood circulating again so he wouldn't nod off like before.

"That happens to me too, especially when Minnie keeps me up for hours" Maxine said with a small laugh as she went over to the filing cabinets to look for something.

Darren's eyes glanced over her stiletto boots up to her long tan legs and all the way up her body. "Maxine, can we talk about what happened yesterday?" He asked.

"Um, sure Darren" Maxine said with a concerned look on her face. "Even though I'm sure nothing happened"

Darren nodded. "Right but how close I was to you, I wouldn't blame you if you thought I was gonna…" Darren began to say but suddenly lost train of thought.

"Going to what?" Maxine asked as she moved in front of Darren. She wasn't a mind reader so she had to know what he was going to say.

Darren swallowed the lump that was forming in his throat and decided to say it. "That I was gonna kiss you" He said softly.

Maxine looked down at her shoes as she suddenly remembered what had occurred between them yesterday morning. "It was nothing Daz, we were just caught up in the moment is all" She said.

Darren tried to hide the disappointment on his face-their friendship was something. "Yeah" He agreed with a shy smile.

Maxine reached for his hand. "You'll always be my best friend Darren, no matter what" She said softly.

Darren nodded. "Best friends" He agreed.

Maxine smiled sweetly before sitting down at her desk to get some work done for the day.

Dodger was walking through the village, taking Minnie to visit her mummy at Daz Cabs. The baby was happy as ever in her buggy and Dodger talked to her and smiled her as they went along.

Theresa was walking along as well when all of a sudden she saw Dodger! They ended on rather bad terms the last time they saw each other but the blonde McQueen would be lying if she said she didn't miss him because she did. "Dodger" She said walking up to him.

Dodger saw Theresa coming toward and he sighed, not really wanting to see her after the lie she told before he left Hollyoaks. But there was no harm in being friendly. "Hey" He said to his ex.

Theresa bit her lip before looking at her former lover. "How are you?" She asked softly.

"I'm good, just going to see Maxine" Dodger said.

Theresa had a disappointed look on her face. "So I guess things are back on with her"

"I returned for her Theresa, not you" Dodger said firmly. He was still hurt over the lie Theresa told. You don't lie about something like that.

"Dodge, I'm sorry" Theresa said.

"You lied to me about Myra Pocahontas not being mine. That has got to be the sickest lie you ever told me Theresa"

Theresa was hurt by what she had done. She really did care about Dodger and now she wished she had just kept her mouth shut but it was too late now.

Dodger didn't want to speak to Theresa anymore so he continued on his way to Daz Cabs to see two of his favorite people in the world-his best mate and his girl.

"You are" Theresa said loud enough for the man to hear.

Dodger turned suddenly to look back at the girl-her words startling him. He looked at her one last time before continuing on what he was meant to be doing.

Theresa let a small tear fall down her face before sniffling. She hoped that if she told him the truth that Myra Pocahontas was his then maybe she'd have another chance with Dodger. But from the looks of it, it wasn't going to happen.


End file.
